Australian court asks Google to pay $515,000 in defamation case

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – An Australian court on Monday ordered Google to pay $515,000 for the defamation of a former lawmaker.

John Barilaro had sought damages over two videos on YouTube that left him “traumatized” and forced him to retire from politics earlier than expected in 2023. He also filed a defamation suit against commentator Jordan Shanks for the videos in which he called him names and linked him to the Italian mafia.

“Google’s conduct in this proceeding was improper and unjustifiable,” Australia's SBS News reported citing the ruling by Justice Steven Rares.

The judge said that Google’s failure had “aggravated the damage to Barilaro's reputation and the hurt to his feelings very considerably.”

Barilaro, then-deputy prime minister of Australia's most populous state New South Wales, said he “felt vindicated” but “all I had wanted from Google was an apology and the videos removed.”